Software Project ProposalSoftware Project Proposal

Midterm assessment $30\%$ of your mark for this module

This couour mark for this module

This coursework assignment explores the design and development of your software

project. The deliverable here is a proposal which defines and describes a number of

key elements of your project. You should produce a document that is no longer than

$8,000$ words in length $($not including appendix$)$ and should be submitted as a single

PDF document.

This proposal should be used to explore design decisions, consider the context of use

and identify the process by which the software project is developed. As such, your

proposal should include a reasoned justification that explores the following topics:

$1)$ A clearly defined set of deliverable components of the software and the job of

work required to bring these components to completion through research and

iterative prototyping informed by said research.

$2)$ The defined timescale of work, including any dependencies, milestones or

contingencies. There should be a clear narrative describing your breakdown of

work and activities as part of the project.

$3)$ A formal specification of the desired system. This will include a description of

how your iterative design exercises have converged on an appropriate,

relevant and acceptable solution. You should also include user$-$acceptance

criteria for testing at this stage.

$4)$ A clearly defined scope for the project defining areas that you will and will not

be delivering on$.$

$5)$ Some evidence of requirements elicitation involving some$/$all of your project

stakeholders. Evidence should be provided supporting your decision making

at all times. This will come either in the form of existing empirical evidence

from literature sources or through empirical proof through techniques such as

usability studies and heuristic evaluations that you have performed.

$6)$ A research summary that highlights the challenges of working within your

chosen domain and summarises the capabilities and competencies of similar

tools.

$7)$ A description of your approach that discusses the motivations and reasoning

for working in a particular manner $($e$.$g$.$ User$-$Centred Design, Test$-$Driven

Development.$)$ This should also include a clear and descriptive narrative that

identifies the tasks required to bring this project to fruition e$.$g$.$ as a backlog,

set of use cases or functional$/$technical specifications supported by evidenced

based reasoning.

$8)$ Some early prototypes showing iterative design and development activities

that identify how the project will work and highlighting the strengths and

weaknesses of your proposition.

$9)$ Some early evidence of assumption testing and validation of your designs to

date $($e$.$g$.$ user tests or automated feedback such as W$3$C

validation$/$accessibility testing, heuristic tests etc.$)$

$10)$ A critical evaluation of your concept, your project in its current state and the

proposed software project.

The document should highlight a clear and systematic rhetoric with critical analysis

and an overall evaluation regarding the current state and feasibility of the approach

presented.

Marking will follow these general guidelines $($out of $30$ possible marks.$)$

Suggested section headings

Marks

available

Aims$/$Objectives $2$

Planning $4$

Specification $4$

Scope $2$

Requirements $2$

Literature $2$

Market Research $4$

Motivations $2$

Prototyping $4$

Assumption testing $2$

Analysis$/$outcomes$/$evaluation $2$

Marking band breakdown

Objectives $/2$

$1-$ There is a well defined set of objectives but some clarity of expression missing in

terms of deliverables and$/$or strategies for completion of tasks.

$2-$ There is a clearly defined set of deliverable components of the tasks required to

bring these components to completion.

Planning $/4$

$1-$ Some reasonable effort has been made to provide a plan of action though this is

not entirely clear or complete.

$2-$ A good set of plans and actions with some description of milestones and

contingencies.

$3-$ A very good set of plans and intents with most key elements of the process

described to a sufficient level of detail.

$4-$ An excellent definition of the timescale of work, including dependencies,

milestones and contingencies.

Specification $/4$

$1-$ An effort to specify some aspects of the system, though these are somewhat

unclear and lots of detail is missing.

$2-$ Some elements of the system are specified to a sufficient level of detail. Some

aspects are missing, incomplete or not described to a sufficient level of detail.

$3-$ The specification for the most part is complete, with most elements of the system

defined and described in detail. There are some omissions or the level of detail is

missing in one or more areas.

$4-$ The formal specification of the desired system is complex and complete enough

to bring about the development of the specified system without utilising additional

resources.

Scope $/2$

$1-$ Some effort has been made to define$/$describe the scope and limitations of the

system, though t